A wearable device for providing haptic stimulations is provided. The wearable device includes: (i) a wearable structure to be worn on a portion of a user's body and (ii) an inflatable bladder, coupled to the wearable structure, that includes two or more pockets positioned at a target location on the wearable structure. Furthermore, the two or more pockets are configured to, when inflated, impart directional force(s) onto the user at the target location that impede movement of the portion of the user's body. Additionally, the directional force(s) are caused by the two or more pockets interfering with each other, when inflated. In some embodiments, (a) the portion of the user's body is a hand of the user, (b) the target location is a finger joint on the user's hand, and (c) the directional force(s) imparted onto the user at the target location impede flexion of the user's finger.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
10. The haptic device of claim 1, further comprising a grounding assembly that is configured to secure the wearable structure and the at least one inflatable bladder to the user's body.
18. The haptic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more directional forces imparted onto the user at the target location simulate forces induced by physical objects at the target location during natural-object interaction.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 18, 2020
October 25, 2022
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